COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 14, 2012

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor M. Duff

To ask the Manager to detail the conditions for advertising signs being erected by Estate Agents and Auctioneers; the sanctions for unapproved signs being erected;  how these sanctions are applied and if they are applied fairly across the County and if he will make a statement on the matter?

REPLY:

Under the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) the following advertisements are considered to be exempted development (i.e. do not require planning permission);

Advertisements relating to the sale or letting of any structure or other land (not being an advertisement strucure) on which they are exhibited, provided that the following conditions and limitations are complied with;

1. The area of any such advertisement shall not exceed  (a) in the case of an advertisement relating to the sale or letting of a house, 0.6 square metres, 

 (b) in the case of an advertisement relating to the sale or letting of any other structure or land, 1.2 square metres.

2. Not more than one such advertisement shall be exhibited on the structure or other land.

3. No such advertisement shall be exhibited, and no advertisement structure erected for the purpose of exhibiting such advertisement shall remain on the structure or land, for more than 7 days after the sale or letting to which the advertisement relates.

All complaints received by the Planning Authority in relation to signage erected by Estate Agents and Auctioneers are investigated in a fair and proper manner. Following investigation if it is found that the signage in question does not comply with the Exempted Development Conditions and Limitations (as detailed above), appropriate enforcement action is taken.

In relation to signs which are temporary in nature and exempted under the Planning Acts, the Litter Pollution Act permits the erection of signs only where the express written permission of the owner of the land/building upon which the sign is erected has been given. Where evidence of such permission cannot be produced the Estate Agent in question is liable to be fined under the Litter Pollution Act - such fines are €150. These signs are investigated routinely by the Council's Litter Wardens and fines are issued where confirmation of permission is not available. Fines can and are routinely appealed where the written permission can be provided.